Fading Away
by MyHappyEndingWasCancelled
Summary: A buunch of kids just got a real lifechanger. They might just enjoy it...if it wasn't going to kill them.
1. Going Under

**Ch. 1 - Going Under**

**The Legend**

"_Powers born of love, but doomed to suffer a devastating loss. The leader, known as the Titan, the magician of fire, was the strongest of the group. Quick to act, and not to think, he was almost the death of the Quartet multiple times. The Supreme, known for her beauty and strictness, was a sorceress of water. Whether it was the ocean or a river, her view ruled true. To the sky, was The Maiden, with an amazing temper, and an even larger heart. Able to form a tornado with the wink of her eye, or to cause a hurricane with the flick of her wrist. She was the Witch of Weather, and an ever watching guardian. And finally, The Artist. Ruler of the ground, and anything that grew from it, he could make anything beautiful. He could also destroy anything. Volcanoes, earthquakes, mudslides, nothing was beyond him._

_But, there is a dark side to this tale. For every strong source of good, there is a strong source of evil, and this tale is no different. Simply known as End, he was the fear of every living thing in the world. End had no specific form, taking whatever he needed. Ruining anything that got in his way, the Quartet was the only thing he couldn't beat. The only way to beat him was with the Quartet._

_The Quartets power comes from the love of those around them, but that is also their only weakness, for any heart can be darkened and tainted. End could poison anyone against another, which is why The Quartet was doomed to suffer loss. Their families, their source of power, had to be erased, simply gone forever. To the regular world, there would have been simply no memory of them, but to the Quartet, there would be the loss of loved ones, loved ones they could never see again…_

_The Battle for the Earth between Good and Evil will come to an end, the only question is, who will win? Will the Quartet be victorious? Or will End put an end to the war, the Earth, and all its inhabitants…"_

Patch looked around. The hard stone walls of Castle Morgana looked back at him. So much had happened. His family had disappeared, his friends' families had done the same, and not only that, but they had been told that they were the only chance of saving the world. Patch Hopkins and his three best friends Jamie Baker, Amber Whitfield, and Jordan Mitchell are the Morgana Quartet.

Patch was 15, with black hair, and green eyes. Five-seven, around 145 pounds, and had strong features. His father's cheek bones and his mother's eyes. He loved his family. His older brother Arthur had helped him through so much. His father had always helped him, and his mother was his closet friend. All that changed when he found out that to save the world, his family had to die.

They had had powers all their life. Their parents knew, and they always tried to keep it a secret, but helped their children to develop their powers. By the time they had all reached 15, the kids were very, _very_ powerful. They could do anything with their powers.

The four friends were the most powerful generation for one reason: they loved their families. The love and support of their families is what had produced their powers. Unfortunately, it was this same love and support that had sealed their fate. The quartet's powers came directly from their families. To completely gain control of their powers, the families had to die, and their love would be with the Quartet permanently.

Jamie Baker, 15, a blonde, with beautiful brown eyes, and a nice body, was someone everyone could get along with. She was a wonderful person, and helped everyone. Five-five, and 135 pounds, this girl had it going on.

Jordan, 15, had blonde hair, green eyes, and was relatively built. He was someone who you knew was in charge in the tough situations.

Amber Whitfield was Jordan's cousin. Amber, 16, with red hair, and blue eyes, had pale skin, but it suited her. She was a beautiful girl, and she loved to hang with her friends.

They found out a week after Jordan's birthday. Jamie and Patch had gone on a vacation with some friends, and took Jordan to see a movie for his birthday after they got back. On their way home, a fire had started. They had run inside, and saved the people in the building. When they had run out, Amber had healed a little girl who was badly injured, and someone had caught it on tape. It was on the news that night, and they were exposed. The media had surrounded their houses, and even tried breaking in.

As they left school a week after the incident, a man had told them to come with him, that he understood their powers. They had said no thanks, but they had no other option when the man formed a ring of fire around them. They followed him into some woods, and when they reached the center of the woods, they found a small cottage. He invited them in, and once inside explained to them why he had brought them.

"Hello, I believe you are Patch." He nodded at Patch, and Patch just blinked, still stunned that the guy knew his name. Jamie, Amber, and Jordan had the same reaction, though Jamie had the common sense to ask how he knew their names.

His answer was even more amazing. "Because," he began, "in my world, you are prodigies, The Morgana Quartet, to be exact. He told them the legend. None of them took him seriously, that was until he showed them a book, a book that contained the legend, along with pictures…_their_ pictures

"My name is Alex McCormick. I have been sent to you by the Board of Trustees of the Castle Morgana, a school for," he paused as he searched for the right words, "the _gifted_." You four are the Quartet, believe it or not, and are the only way of saving the world.

They looked at him like he was crazy.

"Maybe there is an easier way to explain this," he said.

He walked over to a small pool-like area in a corner.

"Come gather around, and I will show you, rather then tell you, ok?"

They all did as instructed. They listened as he said what seemed to be an incantation.

Pool so cool, pool so clear,

Give me power, to see and hear.

Show to us, the future, present, and past,

Show us what has, is, and will come to pass.

The pool began to shimmer, and then Alex said, "A year from now."

The pool twisted and turned, and then an image started to form, become clearer with each second. It was them, but they seemed mad. They seemed angry at each other. Then Patch saw himself create a fireball. He had never done that before, and then watched as he threw it at Jamie. She was covered in fire, and you could hear her scream. Patch felt as if he would pass out, and he was about to throw up.

Then Amber screamed something, and lightning struck Patch, and he hit the ground. Then Jordan and Amber looked at each other, and then Jordan threw a ball of what looked like sand at her. It engulfed her, and she couldn't breathe. Before her last breath, and made was seemed to be a whip, and slashed it at Jordan, and the whip struck him in the heart. Both fell to the ground, dead.

"This is the unfortunate outcome of the Morgana Quartet, if you do not take up my offer. I can teach you the ways of the Order of Morgana. You can stop this from happening, but there is one thing you must know. To prevent your own deaths, you must end all your personal connection except for with each other, including your families."

They all looked at each other. Is this guy freaking nuts? What does he want us to do, kill our families? Then Patch walked over to him, got on his knees, so that he was next to the pool, and said, "Mr. McCormick, this isn't funny. We are leaving, and you need to get help."

With that, Patch, followed by Jamie, Amber, and Jordan, walked to the door.

"I'm sorry, Patch, but this is no joke. He snapped his fingers. The door snapped shut, the windows closed, and the locks all locked. "Patch, I am very serious. Now sit!" With those words, the four of them were thrown at the couch, and couldn't move.

"With that, I am going to continue. The sorcerers of Morgana have protected this planet for over 1,000 years. Things, dark things, have tried to destroy out planet for many, many years, and you need to listen. A creature is coming, the Ultimate Evil, and it might already be here, and it is what caused that scene in the pool to come to pass. "

He stopped to make sure they understood.

"Do you know where you powers come from? They come from the love and support of your family, but you can only have the full extent of your powers if that love and support is taken away. By not seeing, and feeling it everyday, you actually grow from it. Your families must be cut out of the picture, otherwise the world dies. I am giving you a choice. Come with me, and leave this place, and we can save this planet, or, you can serve the fate that you just saw. I will give you a week. Meet me here then, and come with your answers. Do not force someone to come. Even if one of you doesn't want to serve in the Quartet, we can still win, but it would not be guaranteed. Now leave." With a wave of his hand, then were thrown off the couch, and landed with a thud on the ground, and the cabin disappeared.

"This is stupid," said Patch.

"I don't know," said Jamie.

"I think we should do it," Amber stated. She always loved helping others.

"Are you guys crazy, we have to loose our families!" Patch was ashamed of them, "What is wrong with you guys?"

Jordan looked at him and told him what Patch would remember his entire life.

"Patch, look at us. We aren't normal. We were given these powers for a reason. We can save people. Our families will be with us forever. There is no changing it. This is the way it was meant to be."

Patch thought about what he said. After almost 10 minutes, he replied.

"I don't know if I can do it guys."

"We will all have to. We will spend the rest of the week with our families. Meet back here, a week from now, and be here at 7 a.m." Jordan looked at them, and they nodded.

That week was the saddest week of Patch's life. He treated his family like gold, never arguing, and making sure they all knew he loved them. The night before they were to meant to meet at the cottage, he sat and talked to his family. He told them that he loved them, and that he would be with them forever. He went to bed, and that was the last time he spoke to them again.

The next morning he got up, kissed them all goodbye, and left for the cottage. He met the others there, and they went inside. Alex was inside, and stood when they entered.

"I see you all decided to acknowledge your fates. I need you all to come with me."

He took his coat and walked out the door. He led them into the woods, and they reached a cave.

"You guys must help me confirm your powers. Chant with me, and I will tell you when we are done."

Powers given with an unfortunate end,

Take them around the final bend,

Elementals circle near, confirm their powers,

The rest of their days, the rest of their hours.

They chanted for at least a few minutes, and then wind picked up. It got faster and faster.

"I know what is going to happen. If you would like to watch your families' last moments, then watch the walls of the cave."

It was like a four way mirror. On each side of them was one of their houses. They could still feel the wind. It had picked up, and then Amber saw it.

"It's…it's…a tornado!"

Sure enough, a tornado was racing at their houses. They couldn't move. They watched as the tornado took their families away. There was no wreckage, no nothing. They just stood and watched, until the girls broke down crying. The guys held the girls as they cried, and stayed strong for them. Though no one could see, the boys were crying, too.

After the tornado was over, they returned to the cabin. Alex started in about the Order of Morgana, but when he realized that nothing would get through to them, at least on that day, he asked if they would like to go to Castle Morgana. They all replied yes, and they were instantly transported to a huge castle. They were lead to their rooms, and after realizing that their things were all here, that they would start the destinies tomorrow, and that they were heartbroken, they hopped into their beds, even though it was noon, and all cried themselves to sleep.

As he lay there crying, Patch thought about what had happened to him. Then he heard a voice.

"Don't cry, Patch."

"Who is there?"

"I am a…friend. A friend named Dantalion, but you can call me Dani."

The Voice stopped talking. Patch wondered if he had made it all up, until the Voice made sure he knew he wasn't making it up. Patch was nervous at first, but talked to the Voice for a while.

"I am a part of your powers, but I can only stay here if you tell no one of me, at least not until you develop your powers. Then you can tell people. You can tell no one of my existence."

"I won't," said Patch.

"Good, we can be very close friends. Don't cry young master. I will help you deal with the loss of you parents. I will help you. Now rest."

After Patch was asleep, the voice, Dani as it called itself, thought to itself.

"You will be mine young one. My ultimate weapon. I will make you my own little demon…"

It laughed evilly. No one knew, but the ultimate evil that Alex had spoken off had already arrived, and Patch was the unfortunate host to one of the most dangerous, evil creatures alive…


	2. The Awakening

**Ch. 2 – The Awakening**

Patch awoke and looked up. The sun was shining in his face. Yesterday, this room had seemed so uninviting and cruel. Now it seemed warm and cozy. He looked around to see his new room.

The first thing to catch his eye was the large window. It took up an entire wall. It had doors that led to a balcony, with large brass handles. He pushed them open, and walked onto the balcony. He looked around at his new home.

There were mountains everywhere. They seemed to hide the castle from view, but sunlight and clouds still seemed to come around the peaks of the mountains.

It was a wonderful sight. They were beautiful. The light gleamed off of them, and it hurt his eyes. Somehow he knew that he would climb one of them in his life, hopefully later in his life, but he didn't know why.

We walked back in his room. The wall to his left, with a door near one corner, had a large elegant fireplace, complete with a poker, brush, dustpan, and tongs. He went over to it, and suddenly wanted to light it. He knew there was a floo, an entrance to the chimney, which he had to open; otherwise the room would flood with smoke. He pulled the little door, and it opened. Then he realized he had no matches.

"Use your powers," said Dani.

"Well good morning to you, too," replied Patch.

He pointed at the logs in the fireplace. "Ignite," was all he said, and the entire fireplace came to life with a roar.

He stood and warmed himself. He walked over to the dark oak dresser. Inside were all his old clothes, but also other clothes, things he didn't recognize as his. He was sure they had something to do with being, what had Alex called it? A magic quartet? He made a mental note to find out later. He walked over to the closet and found the same thing. His clothes and things were there as well as a lot of things he didn't recognize.

Matching his dresser was a dark oak desk. On it were books he never would have dreamed of reading. Magic of the Ages; Curses; Hexes; Charms; and many other books.

"You'll need these later, Young Master," Dani said ominously.

"Thanks for the advice."

He looked at his bed. It was very old fashioned. A wrap around stair at the base. It had dark red, satin curtains. He sat down again. He looked around the room. He heard the fire crackle.

"Was it worth it?" he asked himself. "Was losing my family worth this?" he asked, and the tears started forming.

"Don't cry, Young One." Dani seemed louder, closer today. But he was right, Patch was crying.

"Enough of this," he thought, "I made a choice, so I need to stop looking back, and look forward."

He looked around. Where was the bathroom? Then he noticed another door. He walked over and opened it. Inside was the bathroom. There was a tub, shower, sink, and toilet. It was a nice bathroom, he later admitted. He got in the shower, the warm water waking him up.

He didn't see any towels when he got out.

"Wait a minute. I wonder…" He thought a second. "Dry," he said, and he was dry.

He walked out, and got dressed. After he was dressed, he noticed something outside. On the edge of the balcony was the largest, blackest, raven he had ever seen. He walked onto the balcony, and it approached him. On its leg was a note. He took it, and the bird flew away.

Patch,

You and your friends meet me in the foyer when you are ready. I hope to meet at eleven. It is 10 o' clock now. There is a clock in the nightstand drawer. Your powers will set it for you. Come dressed regularly. Your friends' rooms are next to yours, although I don't know what order.

Alex

P.S. These ravens are the messengers of Morgana. You can summon one by just picturing one. It should arrive soon. .

Patch stared at the note. He had completely forgotten about his friends. They were going through the same things as him.

Patch combed his hair, and left the room. It turned out he was at the end of the hall. Jordan's room was next to his, then Jamie's, then Amber's. There were also three empty rooms.

He got the others and they went to meet Alex. None of them talked much, but they all mentioned that the view had the same effect on them.

When they met Alex in the foyer, he seemed a lot more morbid then the day before.

"As you all know," he began," you all have a gift. You are linked through your friendship. Unlike you, other sorcerers such as me have one gift and only one. We can feel others' emotions, communicate with animals, or conjure the elements, and that's just mentioning a few. To this day, new powers are always being reported."

They all just took it in, but none of them still quite believed him.

"Have any of you noticed that I am less happy, or 'chipper' you might call it," and he paused as they nodded, "I'm an empath. It's a sorcerer or sorceress that can…"

He was cut off as Jamie interrupted him. "It's a sorcerer or sorceress that can read others emotions and use them for their powers. Hatred and anger for example.

They all stared at her. "I got bored yesterday, and read some of those books." She said sheepishly

"As I recommend you all do," Alex said. "That will be your first assignment, read as much of A Guide to Your Powers as you can tonight."

He snapped his fingers, and a book fell in front of all of them.

"Read this by the end of the week at the latest. We will continue you lessons tomorrow."

Patch headed for his room. It was only noon, and he was bored, so he figured he would start reading now, that is, until Dani cut in.

"This guide is useless. Go, follow my directions."

The Voice was suddenly full of excitement, yet Patch also felt a twinge of anger in it, too. It led him through the castle. Through living rooms, parlors, kitchens, and bathrooms he walked, following Dani's direction. It finally stopped talking when he reached a large set of dark, oak, double doors. At least twelve feet tall, highly polished, and very heavy, he pushed them open. It seemed strangely easy. It was the castle library.

Dani led him through the many isles and shelves. Some books looked brand new, while others looked as if the slightest touch would destroy them.

Dani guided him to the back of the library. A single book was on a pedestal.

"Incubuses and Succubuses? What on earth do I need this for?" Patch asked.

He heard Dani make a noise, something he hoped was a laugh, and then listened to him.

"Master, I have all the power you need. I can make you immortal. All I need to be completely awakened. I must be able to tap into your every emotion. If you do not believe me, then just read the book.

Patch opened the cover.

Dani, without Patch's knowledge, had changed the text. What Patch saw was:

"_Every sorcerer has an incubus, and sorceress a succubus. These inner "helpers" have many abilities, but only when not told to others. To tell people of an idea brought about by an incubus or succubus could drastically lower the success of the idea…"_

What the book really said was:

"_Incubuses, or the female succubus, are demons in the form of a man or woman. Whether in the form of a human, an animal, or a voice, all are powerful, and ALL are evil as well. Their power resides in their ability to drain the soul of a strong force of good. To do this, they must reach their "dampened" state, also known as their "awakened" state. Never awaken an incubus or succubus. _

"So I can't tell anyone about you?" asked Patch.

"Yes, Master." Dani was relieved that Patch had not read the true script.

"What do I do now?"

"Say the spell on the next page. Then destroy the book. That is all."

"Got something to destroy it with?"

A dagger, embedded with jewels and gold, appeared as he asked his question.

"Cool," was all he could say.

He turned the page. He read the spell a few times, looking to see if he needed to make any further adjustments. None were needed. Then he thought about it some more. It didn't seem…right. "Are you sure?" he asked Dani.

"Quite," was Dani's reply.

With that confirmation, Patch started chanting:

Spirit within, Deep below the skin.

From thy slumber, Awake from my cries.

I bring you power, Bring you life,

Seal the spell, With this knife.

He took the knife, wrapped both hands around it, raised it above his head, and then came straight down between the pages. Nothing happened right away, but then fire suddenly shot up out of the book. Slowly burning, Patch realized the ink was disappearing, and new words were forming.

"_Your fate has been chosen._

_Death shall come."_

Whoa. Death?

"What does it mean 'death shall come'?"

Dani used his powers to finish a fake sentence.

"Keep reading…"

Not knowing the new words were fake, he kept reading:

"_Death shall come to those who try to rid themselves of their incubus or succubus, due to the fact that they are part of the sorcerer's or sorceress's mind."_

"Oh, I see" he said to himself. He was suddenly tired though it was only one in the afternoon."

"You should sleep young one."

"Good idea," was all he said, and he walked to his room, though the trip seemed shorter then the trip to the library.

Without knowing it, Patch had just sealed his friends' deaths by bringing to life the evilest incubus to live. The fire sealed the deal. There was nothing he could do. His friends were going to die, no matter what…


	3. Through the Window

**Ch. 3 – Through the Window**

Patch woke with a start. He looked at his clock. It seems like only a minute ago that Alex told him to set it. It was 8:19.

8:19!

He'd been asleep since one o' clock, yesterday afternoon.

"Wow," he thought, "I've been asleep for nearly nineteen hours."

Then he remembered yesterday. It had happened so quickly. He got up.

"What should I wear today?"

As if he had said the magic words, his clothes seemed to dissolve and new clothes seemed to appear.

Once again, all he could say was "wow." He looked at his bed. With just a wave of his hand, the bed made itself. He liked this gift. He waved his hand at the fire place. It roared to life.

It was then he realized how dull the room was. He waved his hand at the walls. They changed from white, to dark red. It complemented the fire. It was his own cozy, little room.

He walked on the balcony. He was startled by the sudden "H" that came from his left.

It was Jordan. He looked like he'd been up for awhile. He walked over to the edge of his balcony, and Jordan did the same.

"So, how long have you been up?" Patch asked.

"Since 4:00," he replied.

"Why so early?" Patch asked.

"Because I had a nightmare about my family," he sighed.

They were both silent for a while, then Jordan asked how Patch's room was. Patch replied, and they talked more. After chatting for a little while, they returned to their rooms.

Patch waved his hand at the wall. It turned invisible and Patch called to Jordan. Then he realized that Jordan couldn't see him.

Jordan had his back turned. After a while, Patch realized he was crying. Patch started to walk over to him. That train of thought ended when he did a face plant into the wall. Jordan turned around, but still couldn't see Patch. He was still crying. He had a picture in his hand. It must have been of his family. Patch decided Jordan deserved privacy, and returned the wall to its normal colors.

He went to over to his bed. It was 8:57. He must have dosed off, because at 9:31, a raven was pecking at the glass doors, and had another message. Patch took the message, and watched the bird fly away.

Patch,

New students will be arriving at noon. Please be present in the foyer.

Alex

He was already dressed, but he needed a shower, so he got undressed and took a shower. Then he read part of the book he was assigned, and then closed the book. It was 11:55, and he needed to start walking to the foyer. He extinguished the fire, closed the blinds, cut the lights, and locked the balcony doors with just a wave of his finger, and then lit a few candles around the room.

He was walking when Dani woke up.

"Good morning, young one."

It sounded like he was right next to him. He sounded like an adult, maybe 30, and sounded confident.

"So, what are we doing today, Master?"

"Alex says some new students are arriving today. He wants us to meet them."

Dani seemed to tense up. Patch could feel it.

He met Jordan, who he winked at, remembering their conversation. He seemed to have washed his face. Jamie and Amber were there, too.

Just as they got to the doors, they flew open. Alex brought in three kids, two girls, and a boy.

The first girl was white with shoulder length, silky hair and charming brown eyes. About five-five, she was attractive, but not his type. The boy, blonde hair in his eyes, was maybe five-six. He had blue eyes, and looked sort of nervous.

But it was the other girl that caught his eye. She had short, brown hair and freckles. She had a beautiful smile. Five-five, or five-six, she was the most amazing person he had ever seen. It was love at first sight.

They all had solemn expressions, one that they all knew all too well.

Then Patch remembered the three empty rooms. This had been pre-arranged. It was obvious.

Alex interrupted his train of thought. "Patch, would you lead Miss Baily to her room?" he said, as he pointed to the girl he liked.

"Um… sure" said Patch. He walked over to her, and told her to follow him.

"So…I take it you lost your family, too," he said hen they were about half way to her room.

"Yes, I did, but I didn't have a normal family. My brother and I were very close, and he died three months ago. That Alex guy said that his love is how I got my gift." She finished, and wiped her eyes.

They stopped at her door. It was across from his.

"My room is right across the hall. If you need anything, just knock." He started to walk away when he asked. "What's your name?"

"Emily," she replied.

He smiled, she smiled, and he walked away.

He heard her door close, and then he walked back to the foyer. He noticed the other boy and girl were gone, and later found out that Jamie had walked the girl to the room next to Emily's, and Jordan had walked the boy to the only empty room left.

"What are their names?" ha asked Alex.

"You already know Miss Baily. The boy is Mr. Brady Hemp, and the other girl is Miss Darby Williams. I will tell you before you ask, yes, they are important to your goal, but no, they are not additions to your quartet." And with that he snapped his fingers, and he was gone.

"Well, he sure does like to come and go," said Amber.

They all laughed and went to Jordan's room.

As Patch touched the doorknob, he was zapped. It seemed as if fire blurred his vision, and then everything was black.

He woke up on top of Jordan's bed. Everyone was looking at him, but it seemed as if he was looking through a window. He heard his voice, but knew it wasn't him, because he wasn't talking. He panicked. "Am I dead, or hurt, or crazy?" He didn't like it, and did the only thing he could think of. He broke the window. He looked at it with his eyes, squinted, and it shattered.

In the short time it took, Dani, who had taken over Patch, told Jamie, Amber, and Jordan that they were petty, attention craving fools. Just as the words were out, Patch had broken the window.

He was back to normal. They were all looking at him. "What?" he asked.

They told him what he had said, and he said that he had passed out, that it must have been a delusion or something. They amazingly bought it. They were tricked. Dani had taken over, and it would happen again, and again. Dani had everyone fooled.

3


	4. Slipping

**Ch. 4 – Slipping**

Patch got up and walked to the door. Afraid to touch the knob again, he flicked his finger, and the knob turned. He grabbed the wood of the door, walked out, and then walked down the hall to his room.

He walked in, slammed the door, locked it with a wink, and then pointed at the fire place like it had just cursed at him. A fire roared to life almost immediately. Then, he set into work on Dani.

"What did you do to me Dantalion? What on Earth did you do?"

He could sense Dani's anger. Dani replied with a tone that had Patch quaking in his boots.

"I was just helping you, Master, doing something that you could never do. You are a one man show, and they are dead weight. You only need _me_."

"Those _dead weights _are my best friends, and if you continue to insult them, then I will have to start ignoring you Dani, even if it means being a weaker sorcerer," replied Patch.

"Yes, Master," Dani said with a sarcastic tone, which Patch reluctantly ignored.

Jamie looked at everyone else.

"Did that seem a little weird to you guys? I mean he like rushed out of here like…really quick."

"Yeah, you're right. I think it's just everything that's happened lately to him, to all of us," said Amber.

"While we are on the subject, have either of you been having bad dreams lately, about your families and that kind of stuff?" asked Jordan.

Jaime and Amber looked at each other.

"Yes," they both said sheepishly.

"Ok, at least I don't feel like an idiot anymore," said Jordan.

"Why should you feel like an idiot, Jordan? You lost you family, and so did we. I would be scared if we weren't having dreams and being sad," Jamie said in a matter-of-fact tone.

He nodded to show that he understood, and he got up. He walked on to the balcony, carrying the picture of his family with him. Jamie and Amber followed him out, and they realized that he was crying again.

"Oh no, Jordan, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to make you feel bad, please don't cry," said Jamie.

"It wasn't you, Jamie. It's just that I can't help asking…why us? Why do we have to save the world? Why do we have to be this stupid quartet? Our lives were just pulled out from under us, and our families are gone! We didn't do anything! We helped those people in the fire, stood up for the nerds at school, kept our grades up, we respected other people, just to name a few of the things we've done! We were the freaking model teenagers that every parent wants. Come on! What did we do to deserve this?"

During his rant, he has screamed quite a few times, and he noticed Jamie and Amber staring at him.

"Well?" he asked.

"I…I…don't know what to say Jordan. I mean I agree with you, but I don't have an answer. I'm sorry. I really am." Amber finished her sentence, and walked back in the room. They heard the door close, and later heard a faint slam. They both assumed Amber was in her room, doing the exact same questioning as Jordan.

"I'm sorry to Jordan." Jamie walked over, gave him a big hug. She too walked out of the room, and went to her room.

Jamie sat in her room. It had same bed as Patch's room, with the wrap around stair. It also had a desk, and a night stand. It had the same balcony door and fire place, which she lit, but unlike Patch's fire, Jamie's was blue. She realized, after later re-reading the Legend, she had to be the Supreme, the controller of water. She had always loved the water, and had always been a swimmer. She figured she should live up to her title, so she used water where ever she could.

She sat down at her vanity, and started brushing her hair. After about a minute, she slammed the brushed down and broke into tears. She missed her mom so much. Her father had died when she was little, and she had been an only child. Her mom had been her best friend, and she felt like a piece of her was gone, like it had just slipped away along with the mom.

She looked into the mirror, but something was wrong. Then it hit her, there was no reflection in the mirror. It was like liquid or something. She reached out to touch it, and it was…water. Then her reflection was back, but something, again, was wrong. Her reflection had red eyes, and it was smiling, but she wasn't.

"Hello, Jamie."

Jamie just stared.

"Don't be afraid, Jamie. I'm a friend of your mother. She's still alive you know."

Jamie shook her head. "No, she isn't. My mother is dead."

"No, sweet child, she is very much alive. She's right here." The mirror twisted and turned, and there was her mom.

"Mom? Is that really you?" Jamie just stared.

"Yes darling, I'm here. Please don't cry."

"But... but how mom?" Jamie asked.

"Don't worry about it, hunny. Just know that I'm here. I'm here in the mirror whenever you need me."

Jamie noticed that her mom had the same red eyes, but thought nothing of it.

"Hunny, I need to go, but remember, I am always here if you need me. I love you Jamie."

The mirror shimmed, and then she was gone.

"You can have her back," said Jamie's reflection, "all you have to do is trust me."

"I'll do anything to have my mother back, please, just tell me how."

"Touch the mirror, my child, and you'll have all the power to bring her back."

Jamie reached her hand towards the mirror. The water felt cool against her skin, and it made her remember when she first started swimming. She felt normal again, like everything could be okay. Then, some touched her hand, and it hurt. She couldn't move her hand, and the "thing" was pushing on her hand. It felt like it was going _into _her hand. She tried to scream but she couldn't. She tried crying for help, but again, nothing came out.

Finally it was over. Her hand hurt really bad, but nothing looked different on it, No cuts, no bruises, no…nothing. What had happened?

She got up, and wiped her head. Then she looked at the fire place. It suddenly roared to life, even more then it had been in the first place. She ran over to it to extinguish it, but strangely it went out, almost immediately after she had thought about it.

"That's new," she thought. "I've never been able to do that before."

Then she looked at her walls. They seemed…dull. She blinked, and they were instantly her favorite color, blue. The entire room was different, and she liked it.

She remembered her reflection's promise. She could bring her mom back now. She closed her eyes, and then thought about her mom. When she opened her eyes, there was her mom. She ran over to her, and gave her a hug, but instead of holding her mom, she went right though her, and hit the ground. It hurt, too.

She was soaked. She has brought a puddle to life, not her mom. She was torn to pieces. She flicked her wrist at the imitation, and it flew right off the balcony. She ran into her bathroom, and cried while she took a long hot shower.

Jamie made number two for Dantalion. Two down, two to go. The Quartet was slowly being infected, and soon, no one would be able to cure them. They were slowly slipping apart, and shortly, they were going to pay the ultimate sacrifice for it, and nothing could stop it.


	5. Pain

**Ch. 5 – Pain**

Jordan looked at the mountains. He was ready. He was ready to get out of the castle for a little while. He used his powers to create a backpack, and put in a few of the books from the bookshelf in his room, along with his assignment from Alex.

He walked through the foyer, and then stared at the huge oak doors that guarded the front of the castle. He got close to the doors, close enough to see the grain of the wood.

"Open, the Artist commands you."

The doors creaked, and then slowly moved. He snuck between them, closed them the same way, and then walked out towards the mountains. He started to the east of the castle, but was stopped but a huge stone wall. He didn't feel like fighting, so he walked the other way. He started up the trail to the mountain, and then broke into a jog.

Patch watched as Jordan walked up the trail, and broke into a run. Then he wondered. "Why did Jordan just stop like that? There was nothing there. Oh well, I guess he changed his mind." He walked into his room, and started in on his assignment from Alex.

Jordan ran until he was out of breath. Then was a river near by, he could hear it, but he couldn't run anymore, so he sat down, and concentrated. He imagined a huge boulder appearing, and moving towards the water. Then he opened his eyes. He was at the water's edge. He looked at the ground. He could feel the sun shining down on him. It was too hot, so he grabbed some dirt, and threw it in the water. From the water a tree suddenly grew, and the sun was blocked out. It felt cool and relaxing.

He got out the books, but after a while he gave up trying to read. He laid back and thought about how he had accepted his gift. He realized right away he was the Artist, the master of the ground, and all that came from it. The only problem was, he didn't want to be. He has always loved his gift, his ability to control things, people, and anything else, but he never wanted to loose his family.

He laid his head down. He formed a pillow out of leaves, and thought some more. Then, Jordan cried himself to sleep.

Nearby though, Dantalion's next scheme was already being planned, and it wasn't good for Jordan, not at all….

Amber walked out of her room. She knocked on the door across from her room, and Darby answered.

"Hi," said Amber, "my name is Amber, and umm I really don't know what to say." She laughed at her lack of a better vocabulary. "Do you want to come over to my room, and like, umm, hang out for a little while?"

Darby didn't say anything, but nodded. They walked to Amber's room. In that short time, Amber learned a lot about Darby. She was 16, and her parents had been in the army. He father had served in Afghanistan, and had just come home. Her mom hasn't been so fortunate. Her mom has lost her leg, and she has taken a bullet to her head, but had lived. It had been a miracle, but unfortunately, it had been a curse as well. Her mother has gone from an intelligent woman, to the intelligence of a two year old. She had suffered serious damages to her brain, and couldn't walk. Darby was heartbroken.

Amber could relate. She has lost her best friend, a 21 year old named Ian, to the war. She missed him, but she knew that it was nowhere near as devastating as what Darby has been through.

She also learned that Darby was an empath, like Alex. She could feel people's emotions. It had been hard when she was little, because she couldn't control her powers, but she learned to keep it under control around the time she turned 14.

They talked for another hour, when suddenly Darby started screaming. She started to convulse, and she fell off the bed. Amber held her, and finally it was over. When she came to, she looked at Amber, and started crying.

"Amber, quick, you need to find that boy that you said was the Artist, he's in dan…"

That was all she said before the vision made Darby pass out.

Jordan woke up suddenly. He looked around. He thought he had heard someone talking to him, but no one was around. Then he looked above him in the tree. A bird was staring at him, and it was a beautiful bird.

The bird flew down to Jordan, and landed on his arm. It was weird, the bird completely trusted him. What happened next was even weirder.

"Hello, Jordan."

Jordan jumped up ranting and raving about being scared out of his pants.

"Did you just…talk?" he asked the bird.

"Did I stutter?" asked the bird with sarcasm, "Yes, I talked."

"Wow," was all Jordan could say.

"Do you know what I am, Jordan?"

"Not off the top of my head," said Jordan, as he sat down near the water.

"I'm known as the Bird of Memory. I have a gift, you know."

"I'm sure you do," said Jordan sarcastically.

"I'm serious here, Jordan, and I'm giving this gift to you."

"Oh, and what might this gift be, O Mighty Bird of Memories," said Jordan, his voice still layered with sarcasm.

"My gift is to take away your pain, Jordan. I know all about your family, and how you miss them, and how you would do anything, and give up anything, just to have them back."

Jordan looked away. He didn't like talking about his family.

"All you have to do is take this feather." The feather floated to the ground, and when it touched the ground, a huge flower grew from the ground.

"Jordan, that feather will grant life to any portrait or picture of a human being or beings as long as they are in the same picture. Perhaps the picture of you and your family, that you take everywhere with you, it's in your backpack now, is it not?"

Jordan took it out, and then reached out to take the feather. Right as he was going to, a flock of birds started squawking like crazy, and started flying into the air. Then they landed, and formed a circle around Jordan.

"Jordan, get rid of them, quick, then want to steal the feather. Quick, order them away!"

That was the last think Jordan should have done…

Amber rushed around the castle crying out for Jordan. She called Patch and Jamie to the foyer, and then rushed out as Patch told them he has seen Jordan go towards the mountains. They ran to the doors, but they couldn't open them. Then Dani spoke up.

"Master, have the Supreme help you, her succubus has already been awaked, I can sense it."

Patch didn't argue.

"Jamie, come here, quick." Dani gave him the spell, and Jamie listened, and then chanted with him.

To save our friend,

We must get out,

Doors in our way,

Clear the Route!

As they finished the spells, streams of fire and water shot at the door. The doors seemed to melt away, and smoldered on the ground. They rushed out, not even looking back.

Jordan ordered the birds to go away, and then picked up the feather. He took it, and then looked at the bird.

"What do I have to do?"

The feather will only bring one person back at a time, so pick one, and trace their outline with the end of the feather."

Jordan did just that. He traced his father's outline, and when he completed the line, there was a burst of light, and then is father was there.

He jumped up. He wrapped his arms around his dad, and his dad gave him a huge hug.

"I missed you so much, Dad:"

"You too, Jordan."

Jordan looked at the bird. He knew something was wrong, something wasn't right. He had read it in one of his books that you weren't supposed to bring the dead back, but that didn't matter to him. This was his family, he wasn't going to loose them again.

"Thank you so much."

"No, thank you," said the bird, and it flew at right at him, and started scratching his face. Jordan looked at his dad, but he did nothing.

"Dad, help me!"

"He can't, I control him, and there is nothing more that you can…"

Before the horrid bird could finish, a lightning bolt struck him, and Amber rushed up to help Jordan.

The bird looked astonished. Then the look of astonishment turned to a look of hatred. Its wing wrapped around its body, until it looked like a cocoon of feathers. The feathers started folding in on themselves, and compressing into scales. The different colored feathers became one color. The black scales twisted, and then the cocoon started rising and lengthening. When it was all over, a huge snake stared at Amber and Jordan. Its red eyes look at them, and Amber stared right back. Jordan lay on the ground, his face bleeding from the bird's earlier assault. The snake hissed and then he looked at the feather. The feather instantly became a knife, and went flying at Amber.

Jordan saw the knife coming. Amber was trying to help him, and didn't even know it was coming at her. He pushed Amber out of the way. The knife struck him just below the rib cage. He moaned, and hit the ground.

Amber heard the thud. When Jordan started leaning on top of her, she lowered him down, and saw the knife. She screamed. Then she looked at the snake. She could cry later, right now, this "thing" had to be destroyed. She looked to the sky. The wind started twisting and turning. Lightning shot out everywhere. Dantalion didn't have a chance.

Patch and Jamie heard the thunder, and they _felt _the lightning. It was close. They rushed up to where it came from. Then Patch hit the ground. Something hurt, _really _hurt. Dantalion was in pain.

When the reached the summit, it was over. Something was sizzling far off, or at least it used to be something. It was just a bunch of ash now. The real problem was on the other side of the summit.

Jordan was shaking, and in the middle of his chest, was a dagger, a very familiar dagger. A Gold knife embedded jewels.

Patch rushed over. He forced Amber off.

"Jamie, take her back to the castle, now!"

Jamie, crying herself, wrapped her arms around Amber, and they turned to water, seeping into the ground.

Patch took Jordan's head in his hands, and shook gently

"Jordan, don't die on me, stay with me."

"Patch…tell…tell Amber I'll miss her. Take…take care of Jamie for me, and…"

That was all Patch would allow himself to hear. He pulled out the dagger, laid it on the ground, and then put his hands on Jordan's chest. He summoned all the strength inside of him, but all that happened was Jordan's breathing getting harsher.

"Dani, help me." No reply. "Dani! Help me!" Still nothing.

He summoned his strength, and then fire shot through his hands. If engulfed Jordan. All that was left was a huge emerald and the dagger. Before Patch could stop it, Jordan was gone.

"NO! No, this…this is wrong. Dani, where ARE you?" Patch grabbed the dagger, and tried to teleport to the castle. This time it worked.

Jordan was gone. For good, no one knew, but he was gone for now. Dantalion seemed to be winning every time, but that was going to change very soon. The final battle was fast approaching, and only one member of the Quartet was going to survive. The question was, who?


	6. When Nothing is Right

**Ch. 6 – When Nothing is Right**

Patch came running through the doorway. The need to say a spell was gone, since the ashes of the doors were still lying at the base.

Alex was waiting in the foyer.

"Where is the Artist?" he said, his eyes expanding when he didn't see Jordan.

"His name is Jordan, not 'The Artist', and he's…" Patch couldn't finish. All he did was hand over the dagger and the emerald, and then with a blast of fire, he was gone.

Patch was up in his room, or at least what was left of his room. He started throwing fire balls everywhere.

Then, after about ten minutes of listening to the noise, Jamie showed up, irritated by her growing headache. After dodging a few fireballs herself, she splashed some water on his hand, hoping it would cool him down. It didn't.

Jamie's headache was at full power. She couldn't take it, and the power just "slipped." A huge wave of water flooded the room, complements of Dani and Jamie's headache. Patch was stunned, and this time, it did the trick.

After she composed herself, Jamie fixed the room to its original appearance, except everything was in a shade of blue. Patch was quick to fix that.

"What do you want, Jamie?" said Patch, only half as angry as he sounded.

"Well, besides the major headache you caused me," she began, as she cleaned up one of the last puddles, "you're trashing the place. What are you doing? Jordan will be ok…"

But the look in his eyes told Jamie everything. Jordan wouldn't be ok, because it was too late. He was gone.

"Where is he?" she asked?

"I'm not sure. After you left, he disappeared, and the only thing left was a huge emerald the size of my fist. Well, that and the dagger."

Jamie started to tear up, but stopped herself.

"I'm not going to cry right now, because we have another problem. Amber's missing. When we got back to the castle, she ran off, and I couldn't find her anywhere. I've tried sensing her, and she's still alive, but that's basically all I'm getting. I'm scared for her safety. Patch, please help me find her."

"Okay, calm down, I'll help, although I'm not really worried, because she probably just needs some alone time. I know I would."

A pillar of water shot up out of the air, engulfing Jamie, and then she was gone. Patch sensed where she went, and found that Jamie was in her room. He didn't worry about her; he knew she could handle Jordan's death.

"Dani, help me. I think if you help me with your powers, I can sense her better than Jamie." There was no answer. "Dani! Answer me!"

"What do you want, child! I'm busy thinking out your next task." He sounded very angry, and he seemed to be in pain.

"Dani, what's up with you? Ever since the arrival of the new students, you've been freaking out a lot. What's up?"

Patch felt like a knife had been thrown at him. He, without his consent, was twisted around, and faced the mirror. A scaly, dragon faced monster looked at him, shadowing his on reflection. He could see his eyes, behind the dragons, and they were slowly disappearing.

"Listen to me. I am in control, and you obey me. You awakened me, and you signed over you freedom. Do you understand?"

Patch was so stunned; he didn't say a single word.

"That's exactly what I wanted to hear."

Fire roared up from the base of the mirror's reflection, and the dragon was gone. In its place was Patch's face.

Amber was shattered. She had lost her family, and now her cousin. She had no one anymore. After she got back in the castle, a little voice started talking to her. It got louder and louder, and it wouldn't leave her alone. It seemed angry, like she had hurt it. Finally she couldn't take it anymore, and she talked to it. It led her to what appeared to be a library, and it wanted her to read a spell. She did as it told her, with the promise of Jordan coming back. She knew from where he had been hit that he wasn't going to make it.

After she stabbed the book, and it burnt away, she had a huge headache. The power was so great, so great that she lost control of her stomach, and threw up on the floor. She was still in pain. The pain became so intense, that she didn't notice the dagger that she used to stab the book was the same as the one that had taken Jordan's life.

Patch gave up trying to talk to Dani. For one thing, it scared the heck out of him, and second, he was worried about Amber. He sensed her pain, but couldn't find her location. Once again, with a burst of fire, he was gone.

Jamie sensed the pain as well. She was even more nervous, but it was eased after Patch showed up, and they talked some more.

"Let's ask Alex. We could search the whole castle, but she could be in trouble before we find her," said Patch.

"Seriously, Patch, he scares me. You said he didn't act any different when you told him Jordan was…" she couldn't bring herself to say it, "_that._ I mean, whenever I'm around him, I feel as if he's hiding something from us. Don't you feel that way, too?"

"Now that I think about it, you're right, I do feel that way when I'm around him."

"_And when I'm around Dani as well,_" he thought to himself. "But he knows a lot more about this kind of stuff then we do, even if he is hiding something. We need to find him, and quick."

"How, I don't even remember him telling us how to contact him."

"With the ravens, that's how." Patch said matter-of-factly. He walked over to the balcony, and pictured the raven he had seen on his first day. Within a matter of seconds, it was in front of him.

"Jamie, I need a pen and paper." She grabbed some, and he wrote a note.

Patch tired it to the raven's leg with the order to take it to Alex McCormick, and as fast as it had shown up, it was gone.

Patch walked back into the room.

"So anyways Jamie…_Jamie_? What's wrong? Are you ok? Jamie wake up!"

Jamie slowly slipped away from consciousness. She was in her room at her old house. She looked around.

"What's…what's going on?" she said, a little confused. "Where am I?"

Then the memory slipped, and she was back at the castle. Patch was leaning over her.

"What happened?" he asked. He looked worried, and he looked like he had scared, too.

"I don't know. One minute I was here, the next I was in my old room. Then I was back here. What's happening to me, Patch?"

"I don't know Jamie…and I don't like it. I think we need to get Amber, and get out of this place until we get answers, because this is starting to get dangerous."

Just as he finished talking, there was a pecking sound at the door. Patch turned around, and he saw what it was. It was the raven he had sent to look for Alex. He opened the balcony door. The raven looked at him. Then it held out its leg. Patch took the paper, and read it.

_"I can't find him."_

That was all it said. Jamie looked at Patch, and when Patch saw her gaze, he handed it to her; she read it. She set it down, and then she began to cry.

"What's wrong?" Patch asked.

"It's just so confusing. We need him, and he isn't anywhere to be found. Amber is missing, I haven't even talked to the new students, and … oh I just wish we had never given up on our families, and just stayed the way we were!"

Patch could tell Jamie was angry. He didn't say anything, he just watched her. Then he had an idea.

"Jamie, that's it!" He waited for her reply. There was none. "We can talk to the new students. Maybe they can help us with finding Amber and Alex."

They got up, and walked out the door. Jamie got Emily and Patch got Brady, but when they got to Darby's room, they didn't find anyone.

"Where could she be?" asked Emily.

"I don't know. What about…"

Brady was cut off before he could finish. Something got knocked over in Amber's room. They rushed in to find Darby scrambling to get on the bed. Patch rushed in and grabbed her arm to steady her.

"What happened?" Emily asked.

Darby stuttered at first, but she began talking. "I was talking to Amber, when I had a vision. Your friend Jordan, is that him name? He was in trouble, and I told her to go quick and find him. Then I guess I passed out, because I woke up, knocked over that lamp trying to get up, and then you all rushed in. What happened since I passed out?"

Patch told her the story, and she was stunned. She said she was sorry for their loss. They nodded, and then Patch asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"Can you help us find Amber so we can help her?

"I'll do my best." She said.

Then the group set into finding their missing comrade and figure out what was happening to them, before they all went mad.


	7. Secrets Unfold

**Chapter 7- Secrets Unfold**

They all went running out of the room. Darby told everyone to wait a second, and they did. She went still, her eyes in a trance. She just stood there.

Darby concentrated. She could see Amber. She was lying on the ground, and it was cold. She has a pulse, but it was faint. Amber was definitely weak.

"C'mon Amber, gimme a sign so I can find you…"

Then Darby saw it. It was a huge book, sitting next to Amber. Darby guessed she was in the library, looking for a way to bring Jordan back. Although she was wrong about Amber's reason, she was right about her location.

Darby broke out of the trance and said to the group "We need to get to the library, she's hurt."

Jamie grabbed Emily and Brady's hands, while Patch grabbed Darby's, and then the two vanished in opposite blasts of fire and water.

Amber started to stir. What happened? All she remembered we stabbing a book and it burst into flame…

Then it all came rushing back to her: Jordan, the snake, Patch and Jamie getting in her way, throwing up, everything. Along with thoughts, came the heartache of loosing her last member of her family. She had no one left now…

"No, I have to stop thinking like this! I have Patch and Jamie now."

"No, Maiden, you don't"

"Who said that?" Amber gasped, loosing her strength and hitting the floor again.

"Your succubus, the one you just awoke Maiden, don't you remember?"

She did. She didn't like it either. Too much work after loosing Jordan was her opinion on the matter.

"The Titan and the Supreme were destroyed Maiden. After you disappeared and the Artist (Amber cringed) was killed by that horrid beast, they went back to save The Artist before it was too late, but the snake killed them…I'm sorry for your loss, Maiden."

Amber listened. Then something clicked.

"How do you know all this?" she asked.

The Voice sounded surprised in its response, but it still sounded confident.

"Because Your Highness, it's happened before…"

Patch and Jamie appeared with their new friends in front of the door of the library.

"We need to get in there! She could be in trouble!" Darby shouted.

"Leave that to me." said Emily.

She held her hand in front of the door. She squinted her eyes, and the grains of the wood started to twist and turn. They began to shake, and then they parted, revealing an entry way to the library.

They stepped in. Amber was talking to herself. Patch rushed over, and grabbed her by her shoulders.

"Amber, are you okay?"

Her only reply was "What do you mean it's happened before?"

Then Patch, along with all the other members of the room, were sucked into what seemed like a huge drain. They were pulled so fast, that none of them had time to stop it.

It was like watching time rewinding in super-speed. After only a minute they hit the ground. They looked around. They were still in the library, but it was dark now. Patch walked over to Amber, and checked to see if she was okay. He asked his earlier question again, and her only reply was a huge hug around his neck, sobbing the whole time.

"Amber, look at me." Patch said. "We'll get him back. I promise."

Amber wiped her eyes.

"I hope so Patch, I don't want to loose him, he's my only blood relative left."

"We'll get him back, but first we need to find Alex."

They grabbed the others, but when they went running for the door, they met a bad surprise. Their opening was gone, and the doors locked from the outside.

"I'll take care of it again," Emily said.

She stuck her hand out squinted. Unlike last time though, nothing happened. She tried again. Still nothing.

Brady took a try. Brady's gift was an odd one. Brady could take something, and turn it into whatever he needed. He once turned a barrel trash can at a soccer field into a soccer ball for his sister. It was amazing what he could do. He could change its composition completely. He could turn water into metal, turn a car into a glass marble, and do so, so much more.

Brady looked at the door. He touched it and closed his eyes. Then he started chanting.

"Wood to dust, wood to dust, wood to dust…"

Nothing happened for Brady either. Darby got frustrated, and told everyone to think of something that made them mad. She focused on the energy, but she couldn't feel it. She couldn't sense the energy.

Patch was getting angry. He told Jamie to try the same thing they had tried on the front door. They said the spell, yet once again, nothing happened. No fire or water, no magic.

Patch tried vanishing, but to his disadvantage, nothing. He got so frustrated that he ran up and hit the door, and with a yell, he fell through it, landing on his face.

"Umm guys…I think the door is fake," he said with his face still towards the ground.

They walked out and looked around. The halls were completely different. In a good way, though. There were paintings of beautiful women, hansom men, kings, queens, knights. Something had definitely changed in the castle.

They walked down the halls to the foyer. When they got there, they ducked almost immediately, due to the fact a flaming arrow went flying over Brady's head. They looked between the pillars of the staircase. There were huge tables, with people all around. There was music, jesters, and animals all over the place. But none of these things were as surprising as who were at the main table.

Sitting at the table were Patch, Jamie, Jordan, Amber, Emily, Brady, and Darby. The Quartet, as they were called, were in gold thrones, with Darby to Patch's right, between him and Emily, and Brady on Jordan's left. Jamie sat on Patch's other side, and Amber next to Jordan. Patch rose, and everyone stopped talking, and everyone watched as he began to speak.

"Welcome to Castle Morgana. Tis' the 8th day of June, of the 1446th year of the Lord. I hope you have all enjoyed the feast, since you have all earned it. Alexander the Shade has finally been defeated, and now we can feast in harmony."

Everyone cheered. The music began, louder then ever, and everyone danced. Patch and the others rose, walking among the crowd. That was, until the large oak doors of the castle flew open. There, standing in the door way, was Alex. Only, like Patch and the others, he was older, and in much more royal clothes. The only difference was his clothes were black, with odd symbols all over. People screamed when they saw him. It wasn't until Alexander walked in and they saw what was behind him that made The Quartet gasp themselves.

It was a dragon almost as tall of the doors themselves. Spikes jetted out of its back, and its wings were folded around itself, like a cloak. Its eyes were blood red, with slits of black, dark as the evil heart beating inside it. Its claws were dark as gold, and glimmered with an evil glow. Its scales were gleaming in the torch light, and they showed reflections of all the people.

"Ah, I see you all thought I was gone," said Alex, or as he was known in these times, Alexander, "but unfortunately, that misconception will cost you your lives."

The dragon's eyes roared to life, as it opened its mouth. A small light formed in its throat, and it was growing brighter and brighter. The people ran, but nothing could stop the fire raging up the black creature's throat.

That is, nothing except the Morgana Quartet. They formed a circle, along with the other three friends, and started chanting. A bright light emitted from their hands, and they started to rise into the air. The light grew brighter, and the dragon shielded its eyes with its wings.

"You will not pass you wretched serpent, stay out!" The group was now in the center of the room, and they the bright light shot at the dragon. It flew through the foyer, and right out the door.

But it didn't last. It got up, and came flying into the foyer, roaring. It shot a huge fireball at the Quartet, and they barely deflected it. They all fell to the ground. Alexander walked over.

"Listen Quartet, you have one chance to leave now, or you'll pay for this with your lives. Give me your powers, or die. "

Patch didn't even listen. He got up, and threw a fireball at Alexander. Then another, and then Jamie got up and started throwing water balls. Then Jordan started with boulders, and Amber with hail. The others joined in, and they forced him out of the castle. Alexander was on the ground, and Patch got down to eye level with him.

"Alexander, now it's your turn to listen."

The Quartet joined hands, and then they started chanting once again.

Black as night

Betrayal is your crime.

These words seal your fate,

Now and for the rest of time.

Alexander twitched, and then he started to scream. He started to smolder, and an explosion was obvious. Right before he exploded, he made his final threat.

"Curse you Morgana Quartet. I'll be back, and Dantalion shall feast on all of you. I'll be back. I'll be back….."

Then, he exploded with a terrific boom.

All of a sudden, the Quartet was back in the original library. They looked around. Someone was coming. They all looked at the door.

Alex, or Alexander the Shade, stood at the door of the library.

His words made the Quartet tremble, since he looked so evil when he said them.

"I _always_ keep my word…"


	8. You Can't Escape

**Chapter 8 – You Can't Escape**

The Quartet, or what was left of it, got up and ran across the library with their friends, trying to escape Alex's stare.

"Listen Quartet! I've come to keep my word, and none of you will stop me, since Dantalion has already done and excellent job of destroying The Artist" The way he said Jordan's name almost made Patch turn around and start throwing fire balls at Alex, since he said it as if it was as gross as vomit. Patch realized he was better off just hiding for now. "And since The Titan so easily gave over Dantalion's power of invisibility, he can help me destroy you, as soon as I'm finished with his new body."

This caused everyone to stop and stare at Patch. "_What is he talking about?" _they all seemed to ask silently.

"Well, since none of you seem to have the courage to step out and face me, I will have to be going now, but I will be hexing the doors, so anyone who tried to open them will get a very unpleasant surprise." They heard the doors close, and then a flash of red light, and when they peeked around a few isles of shelves, they saw the doors were completely covers in thorns.

"Well this is just perfect. Now we're stuck in here until he comes back, " said Brady.

"What was talking about Patch? He said you gave over Dantalion's power of invisibility. When did you do that?" Jamie looked at him, and then they all looked at him.

"I have no idea…they only thing I've given to him was…" Then it hit him. It must have been the huge emerald, the one the appeared after Jordan died. "The only thing I've given to him was that huge emerald that appeared after Jordan died, but I touched it, and I never turned invisible."

"Well then boys and girls, lets not waste our time in here crying. There are too many questions floating around right now, and we're in a library. Let's see if there's a spell or charm to get us out of here, and see what we can find about Alex and Dantalion.

Jamie, Darby, and I will look for a way out of here, and Brady, Patch, and Amber can look for more on the two of them." Everyone stared at Emily as she took control, and then as if someone hit an eject button, they all flew up in search of their assignments.

Two hours later, Patch grabbed the eighth book he had found. He has found a total of 15 on the Castle, the Quartet, Alex and Dantalion, and not to mention a few on their powers. Brady and Amber had found about the same amount of books. They were all sitting there, reading anything and everything. Brady had cut away some of the thorns and turned them into paper, and grew out some of the thorns to the length of a pen. Unfortunately, he found that the thorns grew back on the door, so they were still caught in the library. He went to one of the oldest sections, and they were all in a weird language that none of them knew. He took the ink off the pages and turned the cover into a jar, and put the ink inside of it. Then they all started taking notes.

After Brady gave them their supplies, Jamie, Darby, and Emily started in on their research as well. They looked up about thorns, hexes, spells, anything that might help. Finally Darby couldn't take it anymore, and started focusing her frustration on the thorns. They started to burn and wither away, and then they grew back. So she kept burning them until she was over it. Then she went back to the table and went on researching like never had ever happened. "I would hate to see her when she was really angry…" said Emily. Then she jumped up as her paper caught fire. Darby started laughing.

"You could have hurt me!" Emily half laughed-half yelled. Then she sat down, still laughing. Then Emily waved her hands, and the ash particles flew away out the window. Then she stood up and ran to the window. She stuck her head out, and looked around. Then she came back to the table while Jamie had her nose buried in a book. She stared at them, then she screamed out "STOP!" Then all jumped and looked at her. When she was sure she had their attention, she told them about the windows. She told them that if there was a way to make a walkway around the castle, they could sneak out the window instead of through the door.

Unfortunately, Patch and Co.'s assignment wasn't so easy. Patch found a few references to Alex and Dantalion, but nothing else. He was about to give up when the news that they might be able to get out perked him up. Then he struck gold. He showed the entry to others.

_"Alexander the Shade, his most popular alias, has showed up in history numerous times. His most famous appearance was with the Morgana Quartet, of Castle Morgana. Along with his most trusted demon, Dantalion, he reeked havoc on the entire West Coast of Europe. The Quarter raged war with him, known as the War of Gems, due to the magic used in the battle was mainly focused around powers inside of precious gem stones. Each member of the Quartet had their own powers, but along with these powers, they had the Morgana Gems. Holding extreme power themselves, they were Alexander's true mission. Combined with Dantalion, his own strength, and the gems, he could beat the Quartet…or so he thought. In the Battle of Dragon's Eye, he was proved wrong. The Quartet beat him, and reclaimed the gems, which had been stolen in the Siege of Morgana Castle only days before. Around two weeks after the Battle of Dragon's Eye, he returned Morgana Castle during a feast celebrating his defeat. Once again he was beaten, but he made a vow before he was destroyed. A vow that he would return and destroy the Quartet, along with the protectors of the gems, a sorcerer and two sorceresses, later known as the Morgana Trio, after joining the Quartet at Morgana Castle. The true mystery behind this tale is what happened after Alexander's defeat. Dantalion was rumored to have disappeared, and only the Artist, as he was called, seemed to notice. After searching for the beast for years, he was, once again rumored, to have found it. Stealing its powers, and keeping them hidden. No one has ever found them or Dantalion since. Some say he "swallowed" them, or in a more modern term, absorbed them as his own…"_

They we cut off from their reading by a large crashing sound, and then the sound of Alex's voice.

"I'm back, are you read you ready to face me Quartet? Or am I going to forced to lock the doors again?"

Emily silently looked the window and guided them out. She whispered to Brady what she needed done, and he enlarged the window sill to let them out. They crawled out and headed toward Patch's balcony, at least what they hoped was Patch's balcony. Then the whole ledge shook. Patch looked back to see the most horrible thing. Emily was hanging from the ledge, and Alex was holding his next fireball in his hand.

"Titan, if you don't come back now, she dies…"

That's when everything went wrong.

Emily looked at Alex, and then in a flash he went flying across the room. Emily started to fall to the ground, hundreds of feet below.

"Stop," Patch said, as he threw the ball towards the falling friend. She stopped in midair, about one hundred feet from the sea's raging surface.

"That was close," she screamed up at him, "Now go help the others!"

Patch shook his head.

"No, you're coming with me Emily." He pointed his hand at her, and she raised up slowly. Finally she was on the ledge with him. They both crawled to the balcony, where the rest of their friends stood coaching them on. Once they were all on the balcony, the all headed for the door. Patch threw it open and stuck his head out of the door.

"There's no sign of him, but that doesn't mean much anymore, now that he has that invisibility power. We need to get back to the library and learn more about those crystals, not to mention Alex."

"You're right Patch, but one problem," said Brady, "the library is locked by those thorns. I don't know about you, but I don't really look good as shish-ka-bob. How do you plan on getting in?"

"With a little help from Jordan," he said, staring at them. Jamie and Amber, who were closer to him and knew him better, could tell he had a plan, while the others stared at him in disbelief.

"But…but Jordan is dead, Patch. How do you plan on pulling that off?"

"With this," he said, pulling a folded, yellow paper from his pocket. "I found this in the library when I was researching. I figured it would work, in case we needed the whole quartet back at once."

He handed it to Jamie.

"To Cross the Divide," she read softly. "You're bring him back from the dead? Patch, I don't know, do you really think this is possible? I mean…wow…we could get Jordan back?" She started crying as she talked.

"I don't know if we'd get him back, but he'd be here long enough for a certain purpose, according to what this spell says. Anyone object to doing this?"

No one objected, that was until Amber heard that they needed the blood of the person, or a close relative.

"Amber, c'mon! Don't you want to see him? All I need is a few drops! I mean think about it! Brady can heal you with his power when we're done!"

After about ten more minutes, Amber finally agreed.

They gather the necessary ingredients, while Jamie watched Alex from her mirror. He was still out cold in the library. They all knew though, unfortunately, that it wouldn't last.

They all sat in a circle. The herbs has been cut and grounded up, and then dumped in a small silk bag. The potion they had had to brew up boiling quietly in a small cauldron in front of them. Patch waved his hand, and the five white candles around the cauldron ignited into fire.

Then they all began to chant as Darby poured the powdered herbs into the cauldron. Patch couldn't help but laugh as she shot up and started freaking out after the "boom" from the cauldron blasted through the room.

They continued to chant the same few lines over and over.

_Spirit on the other side,_

_Five candles we have set aside. _

_To light you journey back to here,_

_Until your mission is crystal clear._

_Once you goal is complete,_

_Return to your rest, quiet and neat._

A few little white lights started to circle the candles, but never left the small circle the candles formed. They shined brighter and brighter, until they took the form of a human body.

They all stared, as Jordan's body took form, wearing the same clothes as he had been when he had been attacked, only they weren't bloody anymore.

"Hey," he said, 'I was starting to wonder if you guys would find me a way to get back down here. I have so much to tell you. Alex is…"

"We know, he's evil!" said Emily.

"Well, yes, but I was going more along the lines of he's on his way here now, so would someone PLEASE get me out of here, so we can hide?"

Patch blew out the candles, and the white lights holding Jordan up slowly disappeared, and Jordan was flung onto the bed.

"Wow…that was uncomfortable."

"Hey Jordan, how about helping us out and telling us how far away he is, since you can't die, and we can." Patch said, as he put all the supplies away, so Alex couldn't tell what spell they had performed.

"Umm, he's about two minutes away. I'd recommend running, a.s.a.p."

"Thank you."

Then they all got up and ran out of the room. Patch led them toward the library, hoping his plan would work.

Once they all got there, Patch told them his plan.

"I think what we need to do is overpower the thorns. Give them so much juice that they short circuit, and stop recovering.

Patch gave his example by aiming a constant blast of fire at the door. Jamie jumped in with a constant blast of water, then Amber with lightning. Jordan threw in a blast of energy sucking vines, and Emily aimed her thoughts on the thorns withering away. Brady grinded the thorns with his power, and then finally Darby took all the frustration from the group, and threw in the final kick needed to blast away the thorns. In a fiery blast, the middle caught on fire, and burnt out to the ends of the vines.

"Quick, everyone inside, before they start all over again." Jordan shouted, before running inside. As soon as they were all in, he had an idea.

"Jordan, help me, I got an idea."

He told him his plan. Jordan got on his knees, and then a green glow came out of his hands. He put them on the ground, and a huge, new bush of thorns grew. Then he put his hands on the thorns, and lit them on fire.

"Spiked fire, never end,

Not until your master commands"

The thorns instantly ceased burning, and just stood there, on fire.

"That should keep Alex busy for a little while." Patch said.

"We'll see," said Jamie, "due to the fact that he'll be rounding the corned any moment now."

And just as she finished her sentence, Alex stepped out from behind the corner, and after a few seconds, so did a large, shiny, black dragon, with blood red eyes. But what got the Quartets attention was the fact that the dragon disappeared, except for its eyes, which remained locked on them, and they floated through the thorns.

"I guess the power of invisibility is more then it's cracked up to be." Jordan said.

And with that, Dantalion reformed, and opened his mouth, and at the back of his throat, the Quartet saw a small glow getting larger and larger.

"Goodbye Quartet, I do hope you've enjoyed your stay at Castle Morgana, because you won't be coming back…"

9


End file.
